Blame Apple More Than AT&T

Why blame either one? It's exactly the same kind of subsidy they (AT&T) have had for many, many years now. No one [complaining] seems to remember the unsubsidized $400 Razor vs. $150 (or so) on contract.

The iPhone costs what the market will bear. It's sold at a discount when subsidized - they're not adding a surcharge.

 

An unsubsidized BlackBerry Storm, which is pretty similar to an iPhone, costs $500 without a plan. It has a whopping 8GB of storage (on a micro SD card, which I doubt is as fast as internal flash). So your whole point is, um, stupid.

 

Agreed! Well said.

 

The original Razr cost 500 with a contract I believe. Don't blame anyone. Blame business and the desire for money.

 

Actually, blame the whole industry. The non-subs pricing for any phone is pure lunacy - even for non-smartphones. Since they buy in bulk, there is no way the carriers have to pay that much money. I would like to know the real price AT&T has to pay per iPhone.

 

i know i'm not following the advice i'm about to give, but please let my post be the last on this thread...

this is the most idiotic post/statement i have ever read. please just don't reply and let this sink into oblivion....

 

NokiaPhone without even 1gb of storage. Over $600.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4005271&CatId=1809

Jeez. Get a job or blame yourself for not having a real job?

 

Uh... there's tons of smartphones that cost the same, if not more than an iPhone, unsubsidized.

 

For me the iPhone is by far the best phone in the industry. In the past I would normally buy the most expensive cell phone for around $200 (non-smart phone) and keep it for 2 years. The iPhone 16gb is only $200 and the 32gb is $300. To me this is cheap.

My problem has never been with the price of the phone but the price of the data plan ($30) and for text messaging ($5 for 200).

 

+1

This isn't some low end knockoff.

Given I'm paying for cell service anyway, and I don't see the subsidy model going away to reduce my monthly costs, I'd rather sign a two year contract on an iPhone than pay the same monthly rate and getting way less phone.

 

What do you think Apple should charge for the iPhone?

Sprint and Palm are charging $549 regular price for the Pre
Verizon is charging $350 for the Touch Pro with a 2 year contract.

 

The Nokia you linked to has 16GB of storage, plus a micro SD slot. The phone is still quite expensive, but it seems pretty comparable to the iPhone.

 

Supply and demand my friend...

 

iPhone 3G S just like the final version of the "iPhone".

I really think the previous versions like iPhone 3G are all beta.

Apple want all iPhone users get all different iPhone. It just add some functions and you have to pay for a new iPhone if you want to use the new functions or play the games which only for the iPhone 3G S.

 

I wonder how much assembling the actual iPhone costs. Between all the parts (processors, various chips, case, etc) plus the labor to put it together. It's high quality hardware that they use. It isn't like they're selling you a piece of junk. Apple is a company in the busness of making money, just like everyone else. There is nothing wrong with that. Just because you want the phone cheaper, that doesn't mean you'll get it. If they gave it to you at the price you wanted, they would fail and Apple would close. No more iPhones, no more iPods, no more Macs, no more iTunes. Would you like that?

 

I would say to make an iPhone it cost between $125-$200(maybe more) PLUS BILLIONS in development for the hardware and OS and MILLIONS paid to people that development

 

Agreed very true. Apple makes great products that cost lots of money to create. Nothing wrong with what they charge most of the time IMO.

 

Well I don't know who is to blame for the current situation, but Apple is 100% to blame for the first generation iPhones that you had to buy unsubsidized AND you got locked into a two year contract.

 

How is news from 2007 even reliable these days? Technology gets cheaper everyday, but you still have to add in the devolpment cost and how much apple pays people to do it. My guess to if you broke down ALL the development cost and salarys for people to do it plus the hardware of the phone wach would cost about $400 dollars if maybe a little more or less(give or take)

 

Here's the deal (IMO, obviously):

Just like their laptops, Apple will most likely have a new iPhone every year. It seems as though you can only get the subsidized price once every two years, we get that now. I think what most people are upset/confused about is why people were able to get the 2G at the subsidized price and THEN get the 3G at the subsidized price, but NOT able to get it on the 3GS. Basically feeling they either need to get the subsidized price again or have a press release from Apple/AT&T explaining why they changed their minds this time.


Particularly at the OP. I'd have to say that where I'm at, Verizon iPhone would be epic fail. There are a few reasons I say that, the biggest is that the closest Verizon store is about 175 miles away. Also, just about every phone maker has an exclusive phone with certain cell phone service providers... it's just the way the business is, something that you don't seem to get.

 

I agree. Seems like a pretty big misstep, on the bright side the fanboy hordes are blaming the carriers for the change in upgrade policy, so it's still ok for Apple I guess